Sua Kah Yong, James

Sua Kah Yong, James

Class of 2017

James is a multidisciplinary designer with a background in Product Design and Interior Design who has a keen edge in interdisciplinary explorations that integrate both design and technology; Creating interesting conversations between users, products, and spaces in the context of both digital and physical creations.

Final Year Project(s)

EnCube is a piece of bespoke furniture that provides containment to our precious objects. With the secret compartments dedicated to each objects, not only it designate a specific space to them but they remains concealed from outsiders. Only with the user’s knowledge, one would be granted access to the treasured pieces. Through rekindling, we could reminisce the memories and relationship of our sentimental items, while developing a form of sustainable practice.

Humans are nostalgic creatures. At times, we yearned for the past – activities or sentimental objects. These objects may not be valuable to others but to the user, it is a Knick-Knack, a Bric-a-Brac, a Memento — pieces of memory. Keeping and collecting meaningful objects may in fact reduce wastage, as there’s an old saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, but where do we keep these curios or artefacts?

For centuries, secret compartments have been built into boxes to conceal the owner’s most valuable belongings and private documentation. As technology advances, these compartments became an Art of Concealment to illustrate the ability and ingenuity of a box maker. This project seeks to rekindle the crafts of hidden spaces in a modern piece of private furniture to improve storage problems and reminisce the memories of our valuable everyday items. With the aid of a decoding passage and collection of curios, it invites viewers through a journey of cryptic conundrums and rediscover the secret compartments within. One could also narrate the story to visitors and sparks conversations.